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Expression of 5α- and 5β-reductase in spinal cord and muscle of birds with different courtship repertoires

Overview of attention for article published in Frontiers in Zoology, June 2016
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Title
Expression of 5α- and 5β-reductase in spinal cord and muscle of birds with different courtship repertoires
Published in
Frontiers in Zoology, June 2016
DOI 10.1186/s12983-016-0156-y
Pubmed ID
Authors

Matthew J. Fuxjager, Eric R. Schuppe, John Hoang, Jennifer Chew, Mital Shah, Barney A. Schlinger

Abstract

Through the actions of one or more isoforms of the enzyme 5α-reductase in many male reproductive tissues, circulating testosterone (T) undergoes metabolic conversion into 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which binds to and activates androgen receptors (AR) with greater potency than T. In birds, T is also subject to local inactivation into 5β-DHT by the enzyme 5β-reductase. Male golden-collared manakins perform an androgen-dependent and physically elaborate courtship display, and these birds express androgen receptors in skeletal muscles and spinal cord at levels far greater than those expressed in species with more limited courtship routines, including male zebra finches. To determine if local T metabolism facilitates or impedes activation of male manakin courtship, we examined expression of two isoforms of 5α-reductase, as well as 5β-reductase, in forelimb muscles and spinal cords of males and females of the two aforementioned species. We found that all enzymes were expressed in all tissues, with patterns that partially predict a functional role for 5α-reductase in these birds, especially in both muscle and spinal cord of male manakins. Moreover, we found that 5β-reductase was markedly different between species, with far lower levels in golden-collared manakins, compared to zebra finches. Thus, modification to neuromuscular deactivation of T may also play a functional role in adaptive behavioral modulation. Given that such a role for 5α-reductase in androgen-sensitive mammalian skeletal muscle is in dispute, our data suggest that, in birds, local metabolism may play a key role in providing active androgenic substrates to peripheral neuromuscular systems. Similarly, we provide the first evidence that 5β-reductase is expressed broadly through an organism and may be an important factor that regulates androgenic modulation of neuromuscular functioning.

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Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 21 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 21 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Bachelor 5 24%
Student > Ph. D. Student 5 24%
Student > Master 2 10%
Student > Doctoral Student 1 5%
Professor 1 5%
Other 3 14%
Unknown 4 19%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Agricultural and Biological Sciences 9 43%
Neuroscience 4 19%
Medicine and Dentistry 2 10%
Environmental Science 1 5%
Veterinary Science and Veterinary Medicine 1 5%
Other 0 0%
Unknown 4 19%